GRADED TASK 3

Laboratory Activity 25

MALABANAN, Matthew L.
June 23, 2021
Submitted to Engr. Jocelyn Caro
PHYLA1
 Sound Waves

PHOTO A. FREQUENCY PHOTO B. AMPLITUDE

Source:https://static.sciencelearn.org.nz/images/images/000/004/104/embed/PHYSICS_SOUND_ART_04_Sound_wave_interfe
rence_2_Frequency_sound_with_probes_v3.jpg?1568602785

Source:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbyjus.com%2Fphysics%2Famplitude-frequency-period-sou
nd%2F&psig=AOvVaw0k_5W-DKhEqVKVwSzy-uZq&ust=1624436756589000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAoQjRxqFwoT
CICr5tboqvECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

How does the change in frequency and amplitude affect the sound?

Sound is described as the disturbance of matter involving its transmission from a

certain source. On the microlevel, it is an atomic disturbance that is far more ordered
than their thermal motions (Urone and Hinrichs, 2020). Primarily, sound is a periodic
wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. Given its wave nature, it travels
at a certain speed and has the properties of frequency and wavelength. Wavelength,
frequency, amplitude, and speed of propagation are the primary features for sound, as
they are for all waves. The frequency of a wave describes the number of vibrations it
creates in a specific time duration (Physics Classroom, n.d.). The wavelength of a
sound is the distance between adjacent identical parts of a wave. The wave frequency
relates to a wave’s pitch (refer to Photo A). Thus, a sound emitted from the microphone
with higher pitch has a higher frequency (440 Hz > 220 Hz). Pitch describes the
perception of frequency. Whereas indirect insights suggest that the size of musical
instruments is correlated with the pitch produced. Although the wavelength cannot be
perceived, high pitches are produced by small instruments (i.e., piccolo) that are
characterized by small wavelengths. In a similar fashion, large instruments (i.e. French

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horn) are described by low-pitches and larger wavelengths. On the other hand,
amplitude is related to the amount of energy a wave carries. The wave amplitude is
related to the loudness of the sound source. This means that loud sounds have higher
or longer amplitudes. Higher amplitudes (red-hue graph) are more auditorily perceivable
than their lower counterparts (blue-hue graph). Amplitude decreases with distance from
its respective source as the energy of the waves covers larger areas. Also, the sound
waves’ energy undergoes absorption (i.e., absorbed by eardrums as auditory
sensations) and conversion to thermal energy because of the air’s viscosity. As an
application (see photo below for speaker), lower-frequency sounds are produced by
large speakers, called a woofer (bass speaker), while the higher-frequency sounds are
produced by its counterpart, a tweeter (treble speaker). Purposively, tweeters and
woofers may be incorporated to cover the human threshold of hearing perception or the
audible frequency range of 20 Hz - 20 kHz.

TWEETER, MIDRANGE, WOOFER (SPEAKERS EMITTING FREQUENCIES)

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PHOTO D. SPEED OF SOUND IN DIFFERENT MEDIA
https://th.bing.com/th/id/Rafd85af661215d4573f61859231a3f49?rik=4chl3s1g3kwv9g&riu=http%3a%2f%2fimage.slidesharecdn.com
%2f3-150109064930-conversion-gate02%2f95%2f35-form-4-sound-4-638.jpg%3fcb%3d1420786453&ehk=8heTvdJyt01rEVr4fvjU%
2f%2fldmoAFVyIIgaU3YIeYUjU%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw

How fast does the sound wave travel in the medium?

The formula v sub w = fλ represents the wave relationships of the speed of

sound, frequency, and its corresponding wavelength. The speed of sound is evidently
observable in a fireworks display wherein the flash of explosion is perceived first prior to
hearing the sound. Implicitly, sound travels at finite speeds and propagates slower than
light. The rate by which a sound wave travels depends on a myriad of variables.
Whereas, according to the BBC's website, sounds are carried by longitudinal waves
where the particles of the medium vibrate in the same direction as the energy of the
sound is carried (n.d.). The phase or state of the medium affects the sound’s velocity
(refer to PHOTO C for speed of sound in different media). Sound travels relatively faster
in solids (i.e., aluminum, steel) than liquids (i.e., water) and gases (i.e., helium).
However unlike light, sound needs particles or matter for transmission. Therefore,
sound travels faster in a medium with tightly packed particles like solids - which are low
in compressibility. The more rigid the medium, the faster the transmission of sound
becomes. Respectively, sound is transmitted at greater speeds of 6420 km/h in steel
whilst 330 km/h in air at 0 degrees Celsius. On an analogical note, the frequency of a
simple harmonic motion increases in correspondence to the increase of the stiffness of
the oscillating object. In the same way, the frequency of a simple harmonic motion
decreases in response to an increase in the mass of an oscillating object. The speed of
sound can change when sound travels from one medium to another. Also, Urone and
Hinrichs (2020) established that the frequency is commonly constant as sound is a
driven oscillation and has the frequency of the original source. If v sub w changes and f

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remains the same, then the wavelength λ must change. Reasonably, because vw = fλ ,
the higher the speed of a sound, the greater its wavelength for a given frequency. To
add, one important feature of sound is the independence of its speed of propagation
from the frequency. This independence holds valid for sounds in the audible range of 20
to 20,000 Hz propagating through open air.

PHOTO E. WATER (20 DEG C) PHOTO F. WATER (45 DEG C)

PHOTO G. HELIUM

How will I make the sound wave travel faster?

Moreover, sound propagation in air depends on temperature. It travels faster

when the temperature of the air is higher. It depends strongly on temperature as well as
the medium through which a sound wave is moving through. Typically sound travels
most slowly in gases, faster in liquids, and fastest in solids. Temperature has a marked
influence on the speed of sound. This relates to the amount of energy that each particle
has. Hot particles have more energy and transmit sound better than cold particles (refer
to PHOTO E and F). Sound travels faster in liquids than in gases (refer to PHOTO G for
Helium) because molecules are packed more closely together. Referential to the photo
collation, arranging the mediums from highest to lowest speeds (5336 km/h, 5531 km/h,
970 m/s or 3492 km/h) - the following order is established WATER 45ºC > WATER 25ºC
> HELIUM. Correspondingly, this entails that when the water molecules begin to vibrate,

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they quickly begin to collide with each other forming a rapidly moving compression
wave. Urone and Hinrinchs (2020) further supports this notion, that the speed of sound
is affected by temperature in a given medium by further stating that the speed of sound
in gases is related to the average speed of particles in the gas. At 0ºC the speed of
sound in air is 331 m/s, whereas at 20.0ºC it is 343 m/s. With an increase of less than a
4%, temperature’s effects are not entirely negligible nor does the speed of sound in
open air strongly depend on it.

PHOTO H. BEHAVIOR OF SOUND WAVES Source

https://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/1492082.jpg

Explain the behavior of wave when reflected by a wall.

The "reflection" of a particular object can be perceived, anchored on Newtonian

laws, with the lenses of momentum and energy conservation. According to Russell
(n.d.), using ball-to-wall collision as example, assuming it is perfectly elastic, then all the
incident energy and momentum is reflected, and the ball bounces back with the same
speed. Also, in an inelastic collision then the wall (or ball) absorbs some of the incident
energy and momentum and the ball does not bounce back with the same speed. In a
similar fashion, the reflection of waves upon hitting boundaries is the simple mechanism
behind echoes, radar detectors, and for the production of standing waves important in
instrument sound production. According to Physics Classroom (n.d.), sound waves
consist of compressions and rarefactions, as its elements, and sound waves
propagating through a cylindrical tube, will gradually reach the boundary - that is the
end of the tube per se. This referred boundary is located between the air within the tube
and the air outside the tube. Consequently, the sound wave will be partially reflected
and transmitted upon interacting with the end of the tube. Transmission of sound
denotes that the energy goes through the boundary (outwards) and reflection means
that the energy travels the opposite direction (inwards, like how a ball bounces back).
Furthermore, this reflected energy may potentially interfere with the incoming incident
pulses. Hyperphysics explains that when pressure waves meet a hard surface, there is

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no phase change upon reflection (n.d.). Correspondingly, when the high pressure part of
a sound wave hits the wall, it will be reflected as a high pressure, and not its
counterpart. The pressure of sound waves may be denoted as positive pressure (that is
above the ambient atmospheric pressure) and a negative pressure is (below
atmospheric pressure). A wall possesses higher "acoustic impedance" than open air,
and when a wave interacts with a medium of higher acoustic impedance there is no
phase change upon reflection. Sonic-Shield (n.d.) further contextualizes that the
quantity of energy that is reflected relies on the fundamental difference between two
media. The more similar that the two media on each side of the boundary are, the less
reflection that occurs and the more transmission that occurs. This is simply applied by
acoustically designing auditoriums and concert halls, that is, preventing the use of hard
smooth surfaces and instead use softer materials to enable the fullness and pleasant
quality of sound.

REFERENCES

BBC. (n.d.). Sound waves, amplitude and frequency. Retrieved from

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z8rj4xs/revision/7

HyperPhysics. (n.d.). Reflection of Sound. Retrieved from

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Sound/reflec.html

Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Boundary Behavior. Retrieved from

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-3/Boundary-Behavior

Russell, D. (n.d.). Acoustics and Vibration Animations: Reflection of Waves from

Boundaries. Retrieved from
https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/reflect/reflect.html

The Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Pitch and Frequency. Retrieved from

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-2/Pitch-and-Frequency

The Physics Classroom. (n.d.). The Speed of Sound. Retrieved from

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-2/The-Speed-of-Sound

Sonic-Shield. (n.d.). Behavior of Sound Waves. Retrieved from

https://www.sonic-shield.com/behavior-of-sound-waves#:~:text=The%20answer%20li
es%20in%20the,wave%20reflects%20off%20the%20obstacle.

Urone, P., & Hinrichs, R. (2020, Mar 26). Physics. OpenStax. Houston Texas. Retrieved
from https://openstax.org/books/physics/pages